Wallace owns up to the things his No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports team has done wrong. He also points out the situations which were out of their control, either getting caught up in someone else’s wreck or something going wrong with his Chevrolet. Thinking about the massive hit Wallace had when he lost his brakes in Turn 1 at Pocono? Yes, that’s an example he readily brings up.

“Hell of a rookie year, you know?” Wallace expressed as he talked to RACER in the team’s hauler two weeks ago.

More NASCAR!

Wallace was relaxed and chatty as he went through early reflection on his season. Signing hero cards as he talked, Wallace was excited for the upcoming race at Martinsville Speedway, one of his favorite racetracks. The excitement disappeared later in the day when Wallace wrecked his primary car in qualifying.

Running the First Data 500 in a backup car, Wallace finished 34th. Nine times Wallace has finished 30th or worse this year. Last weekend Wallace returned to Texas Motor Speedway, where he had run in the top 10 and finished eighth in the spring — only to cross the finish line 25th.

“We’re behind where we want to be, honestly, just from a speed perspective,” Wallace said. “That’s the biggest thing right now. We unload and get our balance fairly close, and we’re good to run 25th, and that’s the bummer part about it. So, we’re a little behind on that part. But it’s a process when you start over, basically from scratch, and you’re trying to get more funding throughout the year. We’re already focused on next year, for sure. I know I am. I know we’re going to finish out the season strong.”

Funding, Wallace said last month, is one answer to how his team could improve — one of the simplest ways for any organization to go fast. RPM has been piecing together sponsorship for the car all year, from Click n’ Close joining for a few races early in the year to the continued support from STP and the U.S. Air Force.

Image by Harrelson/LAT

New partners have joined along the way, but nothing long-term to help the stability and bank account. So it hasn’t been surprising when team co-owner Andrew Murstein has had his own company, Medallion Bank, on the car, and Petty’s garage has also appeared.

“The biggest thing is just continue to try to get into a rhythm, try to keep the consistency going,” Wallace continued. “Made a lot of mistakes [at Kansas Speedway] on my end on pit road. Just little things I got to clean up. I think about it. A lot of good drivers make those mistakes too, so it’s not too bad to hang your head on. But still, you want to minimize those, especially when you’re in a hole like we are then you add mistakes on top. Then it’s like, ah, you double screwed yourself.”

Going into the penultimate race of the season at ISM Raceway, Wallace is 28th in points. Results have been all over the board: nine top 20s, two top 10s, and one top-five finish. Of course, that came in the Daytona 500 when Wallace wound up second in an improbable and emotional performance that stole the headlines.

Six DNFs have helped give Wallace an average finish of 25th. When asked if there was a bad result where he still left a race feeling accomplished or that it was a good weekend, Wallace had to dig deep in his memory.

“Every time we’ve had one of those races going, s*** would happen,” he said. “Look at Roval weekend where I struggled my ass off, went to a backup car (after a practice crash, below) and then got into the race and damn, surprised myself. Think I surprised everybody on the team how well we ran. It wasn’t anything spectacular, we weren’t running top five but from how the weekend started to how it was going to end – we thought – was night and day difference. That one was the most recent one, but then we got caught up in the wreck there at the end, so that took away the image we had.

“So, for as good of a race we were having, it was like, well, go figure. It’s wadded up. Anything beyond that, there hasn’t really been anything that has stood out. It’s all learning. The race that stood out to me is Texas and Bristol. First Bristol, where we went up and led laps; Texas we ran top 12 all day, and that was big. Then we’ve kind of hit a stalemate. We’ve had multiple DNFs in the last 15 races or so.”

Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer previously told RACER he believes the team is a 17th- to 19th-place competitor. However, things haven’t panned out that way, for as Wallace can attest, one reason or another. Wallace agreed with Blickensderfer’s assessment and also didn’t hesitate to say that the focus in the final races will be about positioning themselves to accomplish that goal next season.

“We got … good tracks coming up,” Wallace said. “Phoenix is a race that stood out earlier, beginning of the season we were really strong. We had two loose wheels that put us four or five laps down, so didn’t get the finish we wanted but our car was super fast. Then going to Homestead, that’s going to be another one first time for me in a Cup car, just a big learning curve.

“We’ll see what we can do.”

And, oh by the way…

Social media has been particularly hard on Wallace and his performance this season. Actively engaged on many platforms, Wallace sees it, sometimes responds to the vitriol, and certainly understands where it comes from.

“It comes with the territory and the way that NASCAR – not bashing them – but kind of throws you out there off the deep end – hottest thing since sliced bread – and then you run 25th you kind of get a bad reputation,” said Wallace. “For me, I wish I could tell people we’re not going to run second every weekend like the Daytona 500, so don’t expect that. People expect that and then they go after you.

“For us, I know when it’s a good weekend, but it’s still a s****y weekend to the outside viewers, so that’s kind of the hard thing they don’t really understand. But that’s OK. They don’t have to because it’s up to us to carry our heads high and march on to the next week.”

]]>https://racer.com/2018/11/10/wallace-keeps-head-up-as-rookie-season-winds-down/feed/12018 Phoenix IIraceralisonWallace, RPM 'balling on a budget'https://racer.com/2018/10/13/wallace-rpm-balling-on-a-budget/
https://racer.com/2018/10/13/wallace-rpm-balling-on-a-budget/#respondSat, 13 Oct 2018 16:24:00 +0000http://racer.com/?p=175307Darrell Wallace Jr. understands money is the “root of all evil” in motor racing, certainly when it comes to the success of Richard Petty Motorsports.

The rookie acknowledges as the company marches onward toward next season it’ll take more funding to help improve performance on the No. 43 Chevrolet. While Wallace’s sponsors have included Click n’ Close, STP, Air Force, Eckrich, Weis Markets, and World Wide Technology, the team has spent most of the season trying to piece together races.

Talladega will be the seventh race featuring Petty’s Garage and Medallion Bank on the hood. Both companies are owned by the co-owners of Richard Petty Motorsports, Richard Petty and Andrew Murstein (Medallion Bank).

“We just need a partner, and we have great partners right now with World Wide Technology for a brand-new sponsor to come on board and to take a big leap with us is big,” Wallace said. “They have done a lot for us. STP, Air Force, Click n’ Close, and we have had a number of great partners throughout the year to get us to where we are at, but we still need more. We want more funding to help our speed, help all resources that go into making a race team successful.

“For us right now though we are ‘balling on a budget,’ we will go out and finish out these next six races the best that we can.

“We have a new car coming here in a couple of weeks, so we have some good things coming; it’s just a matter for having a little bit of luck on our side. I was just glad to be able to finish Dover last weekend and now we can kind of get through this weekend, hopefully, unscathed and then get the last five I would say into a smooth, consistent roll into the offseason. And then get really prepared for when February comes around.”

How tough has the season been on the team? Wallace does not have a backup car for Talladega because inventory is low.

Wallace’s second-place Daytona 500 car was wrecked after the checkered flag from contact with Denny Hamlin, and then later sold at auction. And in the 10 races leading into this weekend, Wallace collected five DNFs from accidents, brake failures, and mechanical issues.

With just one practice session and qualifying ahead of Sunday’s race, Wallace will try to mind his manners and stay out of trouble.

“Out of all the speedway races we have had we have run okay, but then the cars are totaled at the end,” Wallace said. “So, that’s part of it. So, yeah, we are just going to go out and do our own deal until the race starts.”

]]>https://racer.com/2018/10/13/wallace-rpm-balling-on-a-budget/feed/02018 Michigan IIraceralisonRPM exercises Wallace's multi-year optionhttps://racer.com/2018/07/28/rpm-exercises-wallaces-multi-year-option/
https://racer.com/2018/07/28/rpm-exercises-wallaces-multi-year-option/#respondSat, 28 Jul 2018 23:50:39 +0000http://racer.com/?p=167490Darrell Wallace Jr. will remain the driver of the No. 43 as Richard Petty Motorsports picked up the option on his multi-year agreement, the team has announced.

Wallace was handpicked by the organization to replace Aric Almirola after stepping in last summer when the team needed a relief driver. In his first full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Wallace has two top-10 finishes and is 24th in points.

“We have faith in Bubba and in our team that we’ll continue to get better, together,” said Petty. “This confirmation allows our partners to start building for next season and beyond. It also allows the different companies that we’re talking to now know that we’re very serious about building our future with Bubba as our driver.”

Said Wallace, “Our highs have been well documented, and so have our lows. It’s all a part of growing together as a team with a new alliance, a new shop, a new manufacturer, a new car and being a rookie driver. It’s a wild ride, and I’m thankful to the Petty family for allowing me to be on it. Richard is competitive, and I think about winning in the ’43’ all the time. We both want the same thing, and we’re building that. Today, allows us to get this confirmed and continue to focus on the future.”

]]>https://racer.com/2018/07/28/rpm-exercises-wallaces-multi-year-option/feed/02018 LoudonraceralisonPetty, Wallace looking ahead togetherhttps://racer.com/2018/07/24/petty-wallace-looking-ahead-together/
https://racer.com/2018/07/24/petty-wallace-looking-ahead-together/#respondTue, 24 Jul 2018 16:44:02 +0000http://racer.com/?p=167128Richard Petty and Darrell Wallace Jr. did not officially announce plans for the No. 43 team next season, but both indicated Tuesday they would be remaining together.

“Yeah, Bubba will be with us again next year,” said Petty at the NASCAR Hall of Fame after unveiling Wallace’s throwback car for Darlington (pictured below). “From the standpoint that he’s still learning — he’s a rookie, a lot of these tracks he’s never been to, and we got a new car with Chevrolet.

“So, we’re trying to learn the driver and the car, and all of us [are] trying to learn together. It’s been a real learning process. Right now, we’re too slow learning. We got to speed that up.”

The RPM team’s Throwback Weekend scheme will celebrate Petty’s 1972 Riverside International Raceway look — the first ever with STP on his No. 43. This scheme just had STP logos. The fluorescent red came at the next race, that year’s Daytona 500. (Image by RPM)

Wallace was tabbed by the seven-time NASCAR Cup champion and his iconic organization as a replacement for Aric Almirola, who had been a constant with the team for many years. Having impressed during a substitution stint in the car last summer, Wallace is getting his full-time Cup Series. He is competing for Rookie of the Year honors. The organization made bold changes looking to improve its standing by aligning with Richard Childress Racing (and moving onto the RCR campus) as well as swapping from Ford to Chevrolet.

“We’re working on that right now,” Wallace said of his contract and 2019 plans. “It’s a positive look for us — we just started this deal, and we formed this relationship back as soon as I stepped foot on the grounds for Pocono last year. So we’re in a good spot for sure. We’re still working on all the details, but I’m excited to be where I’m at right now.”

Midway through the year, Wallace and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer have the team sitting 24th in points. Highlights for Wallace include his impressive and well-documented runner-up finish in the Daytona 500, a top 10 at Texas and driving past Brad Keselowski for the lead at Bristol.

On the flip side, Wallace has just those two top-10 finishes and an average finish of 22nd. Wallace finished 24th last weekend at New Hampshire and was 38th at Pocono earlier this year, where the series returns this weekend.

In looking to keep Wallace in the fold, Petty said it was both for continuity and for the team to continue building.

“We feel like it’s going to take a little while to make it gel,” said Petty. “Hardly ever any team comes in and does really good, to begin with, it takes two or three years for everybody to sort settle in. Hopefully, we get settled in so we’re ready for next year.”

]]>https://racer.com/2018/07/24/petty-wallace-looking-ahead-together/feed/02018 DoverandrewcraskIn RACER Magazine: The King Callshttps://racer.com/2018/05/16/in-racer-magazine-the-king-calls/
https://racer.com/2018/05/16/in-racer-magazine-the-king-calls/#respondWed, 16 May 2018 21:01:18 +0000http://racer.com/?p=159081Richard Petty Motorsports hit reset for its Cup campaign. New car, new tech partner and – key to it all – new driver, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. It’s a learning curve, but momentum is building.

In your first start as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, you finish second in the Daytona 500.

Second start, you’re only 32nd in Atlanta. Then 21st, 28th, 20th and 34th – that last one coming at Martinsville Speedway, a track you’d won at twice in the Camping World Truck Series. Ouch.

But for Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr., newly-installed in Richard Petty Motorsports’ storied No. 43 for the whole 2018 campaign after a four-race “dress rehearsal” last year, and the guy owning that run of results, the positives far outweigh the negatives. RPM is a team that wants to succeed; it’s made a bunch of significant changes to help it move forward; and in Wallace, it’s confident that it’s found a driver just as motivated and equipped for the journey ahead.

With RPM in a reset mode and Wallace still learning the nuances of Cup, he knows it could be a season of ups and downs. (Image by Kinrade/LAT)

“We still have bugs to work out, and we’re still trying to figure out what our car wants and what it takes to be super-competitive,” says the 24-year-old Wallace. “But I’m excited about where our team is headed and the direction we’re going in. We just have to pick up the pace a little bit more, and that’s what we’re working toward. I’m just enjoying my time here and loving the challenge.”

Wallace replaced Stewart-Haas-bound Aric Almirola at RPM, but hasn’t climbed back into the Ford Fusions he drove when Almirola was out injured in 2017. Instead, RPM’s major reset includes a switch to Chevrolet’s new-for-2018 Camaro ZL1 and a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. Everybody, from “The King” down, is on a steep learning curve.

“Moving from Ford to Chevrolet, our challenge is that we don’t have the car to give to Bubba to really get him up there yet,” says Petty, “But we’re working hard on that part. Even though he’s been racing all his life, to this form of racing, he’s still a rookie. Second time around at these tracks, he’ll have an idea of what he’s really looking for. But if we can get him a better car, it’ll be a big help. So far, we’ve all seen what he’s had to work with, and right now I’m going to blame the car. He’s doing his job. We’ve got to do ours.”

Wallace refers to himself as something of an open notebook. With so much coming at him at once, he’s thankful to have seven-time champion Petty in his corner.

Wallace raced smart and stayed out of trouble, earning an excellent second-place finish in the 2018 Daytona 500. (Image by Cantrell/LAT)

“It’s been great with Richard,” says Wallace. “He’s given me so many words of wisdom and so much advice. He wants to see his car winning; he knows we’re not where we need to be right now, but he has this vision and he wants to stick with it.

“When we’re running bad, he’s the guy pushing us to make sure we get back on track, and when we’re running good, he’s the first one to come and congratulate us. He’s put a lot of faith and effort in me to be one of the guys leading this from the front, and that means a lot.”

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